YELLOW FEVER OUTBREAK KILLS NINE IN NIGERIA

ABUJA, Nigeria, Dec 6 (NNN-NAN) - Nigerian health authorities confirmed nine people have been killed, by a yellow fever outbreak, in the southern state of Edo, since last month.

Following an investigation into the yellow fever epidemic, 10 local government areas were confirmed to have been affected by the disease, David Osifo, commissioner for health in Edo, told reporters in state capital, Benin.

"Already, nine persons have been reported dead, so far, since the epidemic was first reported. Seven among them did not make it to hospital, before they died," Osifo said.

On Nov 24, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), issued a red alert on the yellow fever outbreak in the state. Osifo said, most of the victims are aged between 14 and 20.

NCDC said, it is working in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Edo State Epidemiology team, and other partners, to respond appropriately to the situation.

Since Sept, 2017, Nigeria has recorded suspected cases of yellow fever in all states in the country.

As of Nov 11, 140 cases had been confirmed by a local laboratory in Nigeria, according to data by the NCDC.

A multi-agency yellow fever Emergency Operations Centre has been established at NCDC, to coordinate the national response.-- NNN-NAN